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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

This post showcases two examples of Singing Sandra's classic 1999 Calypso song "Voices From The Ghetto". Information about Singing Sarah is included in this post along with that song's lyrics, and comments.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.

Thanks to Singing Sandra for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SINGING SANDRA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Sandra
"Sandra DesVignes-Millington (born 1957), better known as Singing Sandra, is a Trinidadian calypsonian who won the Calypso Monarch title at the 1999 and 2003 carnivals.

Born in East Dry River, and raised in Morvant, DesVignes sang and acted as a child, including performances in 'Best Village' productions.[1] She left school at the age of fifteen, taking on a succession of low-paid jobs.[1]

She was approached in 1984 by calypsonian Dr. Zhivago to perform two of his songs, and the following year was recruited to Mighty Sparrow's Youth Brigade tent at the carnival.[1] She won the National Calypso Queen title in 1987.[1] She went on to win the Carifesta Monarch and Calypso Queen of the World titles in 1992.[1]
She performed at the Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1992, and subsequently formed the group United Sisters along with Lady B, Tigress, and Marvellous Marva.[1][2] Sandra continued to perform as a solo artist and won the 'Best Nation Building Song' award, along with a $5,000 prize, at the 1997 carnival for the song "One Destiny One Heart".[1]

She became only the second woman to win Trinidad's Calypso Monarch title, winning in 1999 with the songs "Song for Healing" and "Voices from the Ghetto".[1][3] She finished in third place in 2000 and fifth in 2001.[1] In 2003 she won the title for a second time, with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Ancient Rhythm", winning a Honda Civic car and a $70,000 cash prize, becoming the first female calypsonian to win the title twice.[4] She placed third in 2005 and second in 2006.[5]"

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LYRICS: VOICES FROM THE GHETTO
(Singing Sandra)

The sun rises slowly over the hills,
Everywhere is golden sunlight but still
Most nights with sad tales are crowded
Their days with dark clouds are shrouded
They don't smile and they never will,
Only vultures get their fill.
Empty promises is what they hear
No running water from year to year
Hearts that know one desire -
That if there is a Messiah,
Someday He'd hear their whispered prayer.

Cupboard always bare and scanty
Ten people in a one-bedroom shanty
Forced to sell on the pavement
No vacancies, no employment
Can't tell firecracker from gunshot
Blood does flow when things get hot
Ah 'fraid to look out mih window
To hear voices from the ghetto...

Mothers does just hold their head and bawl
And them woman stronger than a wall
A big pusher eyeing she daughter,
Son in jail for manslaughter
Too bad for he, he ain't named Brad Boyce,
No bail, that's the back man's choice
Like Shadow say, "Poverty is Hell",
She little girl child belly start to swell
Some say life is a cycle
But don't draw she no circle
Where will it all end, only time could tell.

Outside the siren keep howling,
Inside your belly real growling
Police raid very often,
Simpson's measuring a coffin
One night in bed you sleeping,
Next night is a wake that you keeping
So you praying to win the Lotto,
Not to hear voices from the ghetto

Mothers does just hold their head and bawl
And them woman stronger than a wall
A big pusher eyeing she daughter,
Son in jail for manslaughter
Too bad for he, he ain't named Brad Boyce,
No bail, that's the back man's choice
Like Shadow say, "Poverty is Hell",
She little girl child belly start to swell
Some say life is a cycle
But don't draw she no circle
Where will it all end, only time could tell.

Outside the siren keep howling,
Inside your belly real growling
Police raid very often,
Simpson's measuring a coffin
One night in bed you sleeping,
Next night is a wake that you keeping
So you praying to win the Lotto,
Not to hear voices from the ghetto...

With dented pride they soldier on
Revolutions' base, politicians' pawn
And often their tragic story brings a journalist glory
No wonder they view the world with scorn
From since the day they born
Some call them rebels without a cause,
These social victims of unjust laws
But yet they christen their heroes,
"Renegades," "Desperados"
Forever knocking on Heaven's doors...Hear me!

Steelband music shatters the silence,
Harmony to conquer the violence
Big men run when cops approach,
Fighting for scraps with the cockroach
Young turks, their turf protecting,
Almost every young girl expecting
So tomorrow, beg, steal or borrow,
There will be another voice from the ghetto...

Social amenities, Lord, Heaven knows
Opportunities, well them always closed
Can't get work once it white collar
So if you can't stretch your dollar
Is later for you, crapaud smoke yuh pipe
You sure to dead from gripe
Life does rape dignity and pride
'Til there's only bitterness left inside
And everyday is a hustle,
Arguments are settled with muscle
'Til you six feet deep by three feet wide.

Children through life keep on drifting
Is something they smoking or sniffing
Maybe they trying to forget
This life of misery and regret
No one to come to their rescue
Except Capleton and Buju
So their boom boxes they leggo
To drown out voices from the ghetto...

[Crying] crying [crying] yeah, Lord, lord, lord [crying] ay, ay, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] crying crying [crying] crying, crying [crying] crying, yeah eh, voices from the ghetto
[Crying,] I was born and bred in the ghetto [crying] I know what I talking about, you know [crying] ay, ay, I from the ghetto
[Crying] crying....

**
Euston Davis, 2013
"Music is poweful, I grew up hearing my parents play this song and back then it didn't mean much but as I grew older I found myself drawn to what I was exposed to as a child and the messages are so powerful."

**
clayton Jackson, 2013
"Worked with singing Sandra in the calypso tent during the ''donkey era'' a true honor. Great artist indeed"

**
Miley Willy, 2014
"Even though this song has such a powerful and serious message I cannot sit still while listening to it!!! I''m rocking the hell out!! Caribbean rocks!
Why songs like these are so unrated?"

**
D Dougan, 2014
"No matter how old her songs are always a message to be learned"

**
trudy black, 2014
"That sing is reality everything is revealing in that song today good song my Tobago sister."

**
KBK Pryor, 2014
"I love this chune and Singing Sandra. I spent some time with her during the last black out in New York. BIG UP, Sandra!"

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I'm an African American mother, grandmother, & retired human services administrator. For more than forty years I have shared adapted West African stories with audiences in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
I have four blogspots: pancocojams, zumalayah, cocojams2, and .Civil Rights Songs. Much of the content of these blogs were previously found on my cocojams and jambalayah cultural websites. I curate all of these blogs on a voluntary basis.
Each of these blogs have the primary goal of raising awareness about cultural aspects of African American culture and of other Black cultures throughout the world, particularly in regards to music & dance traditions.
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